Gimbal and locking structure

ABSTRACT

A gimbal includes an axis structure including a locking structure, a rotating member including a rotor of a motor or a member fixedly connected to a rotor, and a bearing member rotatably connected to the rotating member and including a stator of the motor or a member fixedly connected to a stator. The axis structure is configured to be locked by the locking structure when the axis structure rotates to a preset position in a non-operational state of the gimbal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/525,052,filed on Jul. 29, 2019, which is a continuation of application Ser. No.15/906,866, filed on Feb. 27, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,400,939, whichis a continuation application of International Application No.PCT/CN2015/088243, filed on Aug. 27, 2015, the entire contents of all ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to a gimbal and, more particularly, to a lockingstructure for locking a motor shaft of a gimbal in a non-operationalstate and a method of controlling a gimbal.

BACKGROUND

A three-axis gimbal comprises motors for driving the gimbal to rotateabout three axes, including a pitch-axis motor controlling a movementabout a pitch axis, a yaw-axis motor controlling a movement about a yawaxis, and a roll-axis motor controlling a movement about a roll axis. Agimbal can rotate within particular angular ranges about the pitch axis,the yaw axis, and the roll axis, respectively. For example, a gimbal canrotate in an angular range of −135° to +45° about the pitch axis, in anangular range of −330° to +330° about the yaw axis, and in an angularrange of −45° to +45° about the roll axis. In other words, existinggimbals are provided with limiting structures to limit an operatingangle in an operational state. However, attitude of the gimbal is notlocked when the gimbal is in a non-operational state, making itinconvenient to store or transport the gimbal.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the disclosure, there is provided a gimbal includinga yaw-axis structure and a locking structure. The yaw-axis structureincludes a rotating member and a bearing member rotatably connected tothe rotating member. The locking structure is coupled to the rotatingmember and includes a cover fixed on the rotating member with areceiving slot formed between the cover and the rotating member, alocking switch received in the receiving slot and being slidable alongthe receiving slot, and a positioning snap member. One end of thepositioning snap member is connected to the locking switch via anelastic member. Another end of the positioning snap member includes asnap-fit portion configured to be snapped to the bearing member toeffect a yaw-axis locking of the gimbal when the locking switch ispushed downwards to exert a pressure on the positioning snap member viathe elastic member and the snap-fit portion is aligned with a presetposition of the bearing member.

Also in accordance with the disclosure, there is provided a lockingstructure including a cover a locking switch, and a positioning snapmember. The locking structure is configured to be fixed on a rotatingmember of a yaw-axis structure of a gimbal and form a receiving slotbetween the cover and the rotating member. The locking switch isconfigured to be received in the receiving slot and slidable along thereceiving slot. One end of the positioning snap member is connected tothe locking switch via an elastic member, and another end of thepositioning snap member includes a snap-fit portion. The snap-fitportion is configured to be snapped to a bearing member of the yaw-axisstructure to effect a yaw-axis locking of the gimbal when the lockingswitch is pushed downwards to exert a pressure on the positioning snapmember via the elastic member and the snap-fit portion is aligned with apreset position of the bearing member.

Also in accordance with the disclosure, there is provided a handlegimbal including a handle and a gimbal coupled to the handle. The handleincludes a battery compartment. The gimbal including a yaw-axisstructure connected to the handle and including a locking structure, aroll-axis structure connected to the yaw-axis structure and configuredto be rotated by the yaw-axis structure, and a pitch-axis structureconnected to the roll-axis structure and configured to be rotated by theroll-axis structure. The pitch-axis structure is further configured tosupport a load and drive the load to rotate. The yaw-axis structure isconfigured to be locked by the locking structure when the yaw-axisstructure rotates to a preset position in a non-operational state of thegimbal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a structure of a gimbal in accordance with an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a structure of the gimbal of FIG. 1 viewed from anotherdirection.

FIG. 3 shows an operating angle range of the gimbal of FIG. 1 about ayaw axis in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows an angle at which the gimbal of FIG. 1 is locked withrespect to the yaw axis in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a structure of the gimbal of FIG. 1 with some componentsthereof being removed.

FIG. 6 shows a front view of a locking structure of the gimbal of FIG.1.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the locking structure of the gimbal of FIG.6.

FIG. 8 shows a sectional view taken along VIII-VIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 show exploded views from different angles of thelocking structure of the gimbal of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the locking structure of the gimbalof FIG. 1 in accordance with another embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows the locking structure of the gimbal of FIG. 11 viewed fromanother angle.

FIG. 13 shows a sectional view taken along XIII-XIII of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 show a process of performing a yaw-axis locking ofthe gimbal of FIG. 1.

FIG. 16 is a simplified diagram showing the locking structure of thegimbal of FIG. 1 in accordance with another embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a simplified diagram showing the locking structure of thegimbal of FIG. 1 in accordance with yet another embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a method of controlling a gimbal in accordancewith embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Technical solutions of the present disclosure will be described withreference to the drawings. It will be appreciated that embodiments asdescribed in the disclosure are some rather than all of the embodimentsof the present disclosure. Other embodiments, which are conceived bythose having ordinary skills in the art on the basis of the disclosedembodiments without inventive efforts, should fall within the scope ofthe present disclosure.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a gimbal 100 in accordance with an embodiment of thedisclosure. The gimbal 100 can be a three-axis gimbal comprising apitch-axis structure 1, a yaw-axis structure 2, and a roll-axisstructure 3. A camera 4 can be attached to the pitch-axis structure 1. Amotor of the pitch-axis structure 1 can drive the camera 4 to perform apitch movement about the pitch axis. The pitch-axis structure 1 isattached to the roll-axis structure 3, and a motor of the roll-axisstructure 3 can drive the camera 4 to perform a roll movement about theroll axis. The roll-axis structure 3 is attached to the yaw-axisstructure 2, and a motor of the yaw-axis structure 2 can drive thecamera 4 to perform a yaw movement about the yaw axis. The yaw-axisstructure 2 is attached to a base 5 through which the gimbal can bemounted onto a fixing surface (not shown).

The gimbal 100 further comprises a locking structure 6. In someembodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the locking structure 6 is provided atthe yaw-axis structure 2 and configured to limit a rotation of thegimbal 100 about the yaw axis in a non-operational state (hereinafterreferred to as a “yaw-axis locking”).

It will be appreciated that, the technical solution provided in thedisclosure can be applied to a two-axis gimbal although a three-axisgimbal is shown throughout the drawings. For example, the lockingstructure 6 can be provided at a yaw-axis structure of a two-axis gimbalto effect a yaw-axis locking when the two-axis gimbal is in anon-operational state.

FIGS. 3 and 4 schematically show the rotation of the gimbal 100 aboutthe yaw axis in the operational and the non-operational states,respectively. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a Cartesian coordinate systemis established with respect to a center of rotation of the yaw-axisstructure 2 of the gimbal 100 (i.e., the yaw axis, denoted by Y). FIG. 3shows an operating angle range from, e.g., about −330° (i.e., about 330°in a counterclockwise direction) to about +330° (i.e., about 330° in aclockwise direction) of the gimbal 100 about the yaw axis in accordancewith an embodiment. FIG. 4 shows that the roll-axis structure 3 hasrotated about the yaw axis for an angle of, e.g., about −90° (i.e.,about 90° in a counterclockwise direction) when the yaw axis of thegimbal 100 is locked in the non-operational state.

FIGS. 5 to 10 show a structure of the locking structure 6 in accordancewith an embodiment of the disclosure. In some embodiments, as shown inFIGS. 6-10, the locking structure 6 comprises a locking switch 61, aswitch cap 62, a positioning snap member 63, an elastic member 64, and acover 65.

The cover 65 is fixed onto a rotating member 21 of the yaw-axisstructure 2. In some instances, the cover 65 can be fixed onto therotating member 21 using a screw. A receiving slot 66 is formed betweenthe cover 65 and the rotating member 21. The locking switch 61 and thepositioning snap member 63 are received in the receiving slot 66 andconfigured to be slidable along the receiving slot 66. The switch cap 62is rigidly connected to the locking switch 61. In some embodiments, theswitch cap 62 can be fixed to the locking switch 61 using a screw. Therotating member 21 includes an open slot 211 in which the switch cap 62is received. The switch cap 62 can be slid along the open slot 211, tocontrol the locking switch 61 to slide along the receiving slot 66.

The locking switch 61 is connected to the positioning snap member 63 viathe elastic member 64 (e.g., a spring assembly). A relative movementbetween the positioning snap member 63 and the locking switch 61 can beeffected as the elastic member 64 is capable of being compressed andstretched. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9, the locking switch61 has a substantially hollow-square structure. The locking switch 61comprises a cavity 611. An opening 613 is provided at a sidewall 612 ofthe hollow-square structure, such that the cavity 611 of the lockingswitch 61 is in communication with an exterior of the locking switch 61.One end of the positioning snap member 63 has a T-shaped structure. AT-head 631 (head of the T-shaped structure) of the positioning snapmember 63 can be accommodated in the cavity 611 of the locking switch 61and connected to a sidewall 614 of the cavity 611 of the locking switch61 opposite to the opening 613 via the elastic member 64. Except for theT-head 631, remaining portion (not labeled in the drawings) of thepositioning snap member 63 can be positioned exterior to the lockingswitch 61 and can be continuous to the T-head 631 through the opening613 of the locking switch 61. The other end of the positioning snapmember 63 includes a snap-fit portion 632. In some embodiments, when thegimbal 100 is in the non-operational state, the gimbal 100 can berotated about the yaw axis until the snap-fit portion 632 reaches apreset position of a bearing member 22. The bearing member 22 can besnapped at the preset position to effect the yaw-axis locking of thegimbal. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8, an opening 221 isprovided at the preset position of the bearing member 22 of the yaw-axisstructure 2. The snap-fit portion 632 of the positioning snap member canbe snapped into the opening 221 to effect the yaw-axis locking of thegimbal 100, thereby preventing the gimbal 100 from rotating about theyaw axis.

A configuration of the bearing member 22 and the rotating member 21 canbe determined according to actual needs. In some embodiments, thebearing member 22 can be a stator of a motor, and the rotating member 21can be a rotor of a motor. In some other embodiments, the bearing member22 can be a component fixedly connected to a stator of a motor, and therotating member 21 can be a component fixedly connected to a rotor of amotor.

In some other embodiments, the opening 221 can be replaced by a recess.For instance, a recess can be provided at the preset position of thebearing member 22 of the yaw-axis structure 2. The yaw-axis locking ofthe gimbal 100 in the non-operational state can be effected by thesnap-fit portion 632 of the positioning snap member 63 mating with therecess. In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a preset locking positionin the non-operational state is at about −90° (i.e., 90° in acounterclockwise direction). The yaw-axis locking of the gimbal 100 canbe effected by rotating the gimbal about the yaw axis to the lockingposition and snap the snap-fit portion into the opening 221.

Referring to FIGS. 11 to 13, in some embodiments, the yaw-axis structure2 further comprises a limiting member 68. The limiting member 68 canmate with the positioning snap member 63 to limit the positioning snapmember 63 when the positioning snap member 63 is slid to a lockedposition or a released position.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the limitingmember 68 includes an elastic pillar. The locking switch 61, which isconnected to the positioning snap member 63, includes two limiting slots61 a and 61 b. The elastic pillar can be held in the limiting slot 61 bwhen the positioning snap member 63 is slid to the locked position, andthe elastic pillar can be held in the other limiting slot 61 a when thepositioning snap member 63 is slid to the released position. In someembodiments, the two limiting slots 61 a and 61 b can be directlyprovided at the positioning snap member 63.

In some other embodiments, the limiting member 68 can include an elasticsheet. In these embodiments, the locking switch 61, which is connectedto the positioning snap member 63, can include two bosses. The elasticsheet can be held at one of the bosses when the positioning snap member63 is slid to the locked position, and the elastic pillar can be held atthe other one of the bosses when the positioning snap member 63 is slidto the released position. In some embodiments, the two bosses can bedirectly provided on the positioning snap member 63.

A process of automatically locking the yaw axis of the gimbal will bedescribed below in detail.

When the switch cap 62 is positioned in proximity to or at an upper endof the open slot 211 of the rotating member 21, the locking switch 61,which is rigidly connected to the switch cap 62, can be positioned inproximity to an upper end of the receiving slot 66 or at an upper end ofthe receiving slot 66. The positioning snap member 63 can be lifted upby the locking switch 61 via the elastic member 64, such that thesnap-fit portion 632 of the positioning snap member 63 is disengagedfrom the opening 221 of the yaw-axis bearing member 22 and the yaw axisof the gimbal 100 is thus unlocked. A normal operation of the gimbal canbe performed when the yaw axis of the gimbal 100 is unlocked.

If the yaw axis of the gimbal 100 is to be locked when the gimbal 100 isin a non-operational state, the switch cap 62 can be moved downwards todrive the locking switch 61 to move downwards in the receiving slot 66.The elastic member 64 can be compressed by the locking switch 61 tocause a downward movement of the positioning snap member 63. At thispoint, if the gimbal 100 is not at the preset locked position, thegimbal 100 would not be locked as the snap-fit portion of thepositioning snap member 63 is not aligned with the opening 221 of thebearing member 22, as shown in FIG. 14.

The gimbal 100 can be rotated about the yaw axis to drive the lockingstructure 6 to rotate. The locking structure 6 can thus be movedrelative to the bearing member 22 of the yaw-axis structure 2 of thegimbal 100. When the positioning snap member 63 is rotated to a positioncorresponding to the opening 221 of the bearing member 22, thepositioning snap member 63 can be moved downwards under the pressure ofthe elastic member 64, such that the snap-fit portion 632 enters theopening 221 to engage with the bearing member 22, thereby effecting theyaw-axis locking of the gimbal 100, as shown in FIG. 15.

FIG. 16 is a simplified diagram showing the locking structure 6 inaccordance with another embodiment. A positioning snap member 63′ can bedriven to rotate about a shaft 67. The positioning snap member 63′comprises an engaging end 633 and a driving end 634. The shaft 67 isprovided between the engaging end 633 and the driving end 634. Theengaging end 633 can be configured to engage with the bearing member 22.The driving end 634 is connected to an elastic member 64′, which iscapable of exerting a force onto the driving end 634. The engaging end633 can be engaged with the bearing member 22 under the force exertedfrom the elastic member 64′ when the bearing member 22 is rotatedrelative to the rotating member 21 to a preset position. In addition,the locking switch can push the driving end 634 to lift up the engagingend 633, such that the engaging end 633 is disengaged from the bearingmember 22. In some embodiments, the elastic member 64′ can be an elasticcompressing member for providing a pushing force onto the driving end634. The bearing member 22 can be provided with a recess 222. Theengaging end 633 of the positioning snap member 63′ can be engaged withthe bearing member 22 by snapping to the recess 222 of the bearingmember 22.

FIG. 17 is a simplified diagram showing the locking structure 6 inaccordance with yet another embodiment. Different from the configurationshown in FIG. 16, the elastic member 64′ can be an elastic stretchingmember and connected to the driving end 634 of the positioning snapmember 63′. The positioning snap member 63′ can be maintained to bedisengaged from the bearing member 22 under an elastic force of theelastic member 64′. The engaging end 633 can be pushed by the lockingswitch to engage with the bearing member 22 when the bearing member 22is rotated relative to the rotating member 21 to a preset position.

In some other embodiments, the locking structure 6 can be provided atthe bearing member 22. The yaw-axis locking of the gimbal 100 can beeffected by engaging the locking structure 6 with the rotating member21.

FIG. 18 illustrates a method of controlling the gimbal 100. As shown inFIG. 18, at 70, the bearing member 22 is rotated to a preset position.At 71, a rotational position of the bearing member 22 relative to therotating member 21 is locked, placing the yaw-axis structure 2 into alocked state. At 72, a position of the positioning snap member 63 or 63′is restored to unlock the yaw-axis structure 2.

In some embodiments, locking the rotational position of the bearingmember 22 relative to the rotating member 21 (process 71 in FIG. 18) cancomprise pushing the positioning snap member 63 or 63′ to protrude orrotate, such that the positioning snap member 63 or 63′ is snapped to acorresponding one of the rotating member 21 and the bearing member 22.

In some embodiments, restoring the position of the positioning snapmember 63 or 63′ to unlock the yaw-axis structure 2 (process 72 in FIG.18) can comprise restoring the position of the positioning snap member63 or 63′ to unlock the yaw-axis structure by an elastic restoring forceprovided by the elastic member 64 or 64′ connected to the positioningsnap member 63 or 63′. In some other embodiments, the position of thepositioning snap member 63 or 63′ can be restored to unlock the yaw-axisstructure by raising or reversely rotating the positioning snap member63 or 63′ using the locking switch 61 or 61′.

The gimbal 100 can be applied to various types of gimbal mechanisms,such as a gimbal onboard an unmanned aerial vehicle, a gimbal onboard aland vehicle, a handle gimbal, or a handheld gimbal. For example, thegimbal 100 can be used in a handle gimbal which comprises a handle andthe gimbal 100. The handle can include a battery compartment for one ormore batteries. The gimbal 100 can be coupled to the handle. Forexample, the yaw-axis structure 2 of the gimbal 100 can be connected tothe handle. The roll-axis structure 3 can be connected to the yaw-axisstructure 2 and can be rotated by the yaw-axis structure 2. Thepitch-axis structure 1 can be connected to the roll-axis structure 3 andcan be rotated by the roll-axis structure 3. The pitch-axis structure 1can be configured to support a load and drive the load to rotate. Theyaw-axis structure 2 can include the locking structure 5. When theroll-axis structure 3 is rotated by the yaw-axis structure 2 to a presetposition in a non-operational state of the gimbal, the rotating member21 and the bearing member 22 of the yaw-axis structure 2, which arerotatable with respect to one another, can be engaged with each other bythe snap-fit portion of the locking structure, such that the yaw-axisstructure 2 is locked.

According to the gimbal 100, the locking structure of the gimbal 100,and the method of controlling the gimbal 100 provided by embodiments ofthe disclosure, when the gimbal 100 rotates about the yaw axis while thegimbal 100 is in the non-operational state, the positioning snap membercan be pushed out at a preset position to engage with the rotatingmember 21 or the bearing member 22 of the yaw-axis structure 2, toeffect the yaw-axis locking of the gimbal 100 in the non-operationalstate. Furthermore, the yaw-axis locking of the gimbal 100 in thenon-operational state can be conveniently effected as the presetposition can be reached automatically using the elastic member.

The foregoing disclosure is merely illustrative of the embodiments ofthe disclosure but not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.Any equivalent modifications to a structure or process flow, which aremade without departing from the specification and the drawings of thedisclosure, and a direct or indirect application in other relevanttechnical fields, shall also fall into the scope of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A gimbal comprising: an axis structure including:a locking structure; a rotating member including a rotor of a motor or amember fixedly connected to a rotor; and a bearing member rotatablyconnected to the rotating member and including a stator of the motor ora member fixedly connected to a stator; wherein the axis structure isconfigured to be locked by the locking structure when the axis structurerotates to a preset position in a non-operational state of the gimbal.2. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the locking structure is provided atone of the rotating member and the bearing member, and is configured toengage with another one of the rotating member and the bearing member tolock a rotational position of the rotating member relative to thebearing member.
 3. The gimbal of claim 2, wherein the locking structureincludes: a positioning snap member movably provided on the one of therotating member and the bearing member, and configured to engage withthe other one of the rotating member and the bearing member; a lockingswitch coupled with the positioning snap member and configured to drivethe positioning snap member to move to put the positioning snap memberin a locked state or an unlocked state; and an elastic member configuredto provide an elastic restoring force to the positioning snap member, toautomatically restore a position of the positioning snap member.
 4. Thegimbal of claim 3, wherein the locking switch is slidably connected tothe one of the rotating member and the bearing member, and is configuredto drive the positioning snap member to slide relative to the other oneof the rotating member and the bearing member, such that the positioningsnap member is engaged with or disengaged from the other one of therotating member and the bearing member.
 5. The gimbal of claim 4,wherein: the positioning snap member is slidably connected to thelocking switch; and the positioning snap member is configured to bedriven by the elastic member to slide relative to the locking switch toautomatically enter the locked state.
 6. The gimbal of claim 4, furthercomprising: a cover fixed at the one of the rotating member and thebearing member; wherein the locking switch and the positioning snapmember are slidably provided at the cover.
 7. The gimbal of claim 6,wherein the locking switch is received in a receiving slot formedbetween the cover and the one of the rotating member and the bearingmember, and is slidable along the receiving slot.
 8. The gimbal of claim4, further comprising: a switch cap coupled to the locking switch and atleast partially exposed to an outside of the locking switch and the oneof the rotating member and the bearing member.
 9. The gimbal of claim 8,wherein the switch cap is received in an open slot of the one of therotating member and the bearing member.
 10. The gimbal of claim 3,wherein one end of the positioning snap member is connected to thelocking switch via the elastic member and another end of the positioningsnap member includes a snap-fit portion configured to be snapped to theother one of the rotating member and the bearing member to effect anaxis locking of the gimbal.
 11. The gimbal of claim 10, wherein thelocking switch is configured to be pushed downwards to exert a pressureon the positioning snap member via the elastic member, such that thesnap-fit portion of the positioning snap member is snapped to the otherone of the rotating member and the bearing member under the pressure ofthe elastic member to effect the axis locking of the gimbal as thegimbal rotates about the axis until the snap-fit portion of thepositioning snap member reaches a preset position of the other one ofthe rotating member and the bearing member.
 12. The gimbal of claim 3,wherein the positioning snap member is configured to engage with theother one of the rotating member and the bearing member under an elasticforce of the elastic member in response to the bearing member rotatingrelative to the rotating member to the preset position.
 13. The gimbalof claim 3, wherein the positioning snap member and the locking switchare configured to move relative to each other.
 14. The gimbal of claim3, wherein the elastic member is configured to, at the preset position,push out the positioning snap member, such that the positioning snapmember engages with the rotating member or the bearing member, realizinglocking of the axis structure in the non-operational state of thegimbal.
 15. The gimbal of claim 3, wherein the elastic member includes aspring assembly, one end of the spring assembly being connected to thelocking switch and another end of the spring assembly being connected tothe positioning snap member.
 16. The gimbal of claim 3, wherein: thelocking switch includes a hollow-square structure having a cavity and anopening at one end of the hollow-square structure; and the elasticmember and one end of the positioning snap member connected with theelastic member are accommodated in the cavity of the locking switch, andanother end of the positioning snap member passes through the opening ofthe hollow-square structure and is positioned exterior to the lockingswitch.
 17. The gimbal of claim 1, wherein the axis structure includes ayaw-axis structure.
 18. The gimbal of claim 17, further comprising: aroll-axis structure connected to the yaw-axis structure and configuredto be rotated by the yaw-axis structure.
 19. The gimbal of claim 18,further comprising: a pitch-axis structure connected to the roll-axisstructure and configured to be rotated by the roll-axis structure;wherein the pitch-axis structure is configured to support a load anddrive the load to rotate.
 20. A handle gimbal comprising: a handle; anda gimbal including an axis structure coupled to the handle andincluding: a locking structure; a rotating member including a rotor of amotor or a member fixedly connected to a rotor; and a bearing memberrotatably connected to the rotating member and including a stator of themotor or a member fixedly connected to a stator; wherein the axisstructure is configured to be locked by the locking structure when theaxis structure rotates to a preset position in a non-operational stateof the gimbal.